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Medicine vocabulary · Treatments and Procedures

Monitor

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˈmɑːnɪtər/verbCore term

In medicine, monitor means: To check a patient, a sign or a test result regularly over a period of time to see whether it changes.

In Turkish: izlemek, takip etmek, monitörize etmek

How it is used

Used for vital signs, blood tests and drug levels: 'monitor her blood pressure', 'monitor renal function'. It is also a noun for the machine at the bedside: 'cardiac monitor'. 'Close monitoring' is common in plans and handovers.

Example sentences

  1. We'll monitor his kidney function closely while he's on this drug.

  2. Put her on a cardiac monitor and repeat the ECG in an hour.

Common collocations

  • monitor closely
  • monitor blood pressure
  • cardiac monitor
  • close monitoring
  • monitor progress
  • vital signsThe basic body measurements checked to see how ill a patient is: temperature, pulse, breathing rate and blood pressure, and often oxygen level.
  • stableNot changing or getting worse, especially when the vital signs and general condition stay within a safe range.
  • deteriorateTo become worse, especially when a patient's condition or vital signs get worse over time.
  • intensive care unitA hospital unit with special equipment and highly trained staff for critically ill patients who need close monitoring or organ support, such as a ventilator.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Treatments and Procedures

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.